FAQ

Age 3-100.

Many of my students start at age 7-10, however, I love teaching both adults and younger children. There are benefits to starting at any age. Children pick up muscle memory and coordination quickly while adults pick up theory concepts quickly.

While young students typically start at age 7-10, preschool-age children can also benefit, though the expectations will be much different.

With children under the age of 7, I require a parent to be present in lessons and practice. Children at that age haven’t learned how to lead their own practice sessions. But don’t fear! Even if you aren’t musical, you can still help at home and in lessons. I use the Wunderkeys books which guide both the parent and student. You’ll see in our lessons, but you’ll read out the concept and instructions for the student and guide them along.

Expectations are different for children under 7 years old as well. They work best through play, so we teach them differently. As well, they work on simple skills like pitch identification (high and low notes), feeling the beat and clapping along, recognizing patterns, counting, and letter recognition.

If you are on a budget, starting your children on piano around age 7 rather than 3 may be worthwhile. It all comes down to personal preference, however.

Yes! To learn piano, you have to practice, and that means having a piano at home to practice on. In my Tools page, I explain in detail whether to purchase an acoustic or digital piano. You’ll even find a few recommendations. If you are working within a budget, you can find great deals on Facebook marketplace, Offer Up, and even Goodwill or garage sales.

This depends on you and your goals. For a 3-year-old, we may decide 10 minutes every day is all they have the attention span for. For adult students, they may have time for 30-45 minutes every day. Do you want to become a concert pianist or major in music in college? In that case, your practice time will be much higher than someone who wants to just develop a deeper love of music. We will discuss together a plan that works for you. I always recommend at least 5 days of practice a week as consistency makes a significant difference in learning.

This really depends on your needs. I typically use Faber’s Piano Adventure books, Wunderkeys, and Francis Clark’s Keyboard Musician, but if none of those are quite right, I will find the right book for you. In our first lesson, we’ll decide which books to proceed with. You can find Amazon links to each book on my Tools page.

30-minute lessons	45-minute lessons	60-minute lessons
$35 each	$45 each	$55 each

We will ultimately decide this together. For most students, 30 minutes once a week works great, especially for younger children. However, for older children or adults the longer lessons may be beneficial. The longer lengths allow more time for theory work, composition practice, exam preparation, etc.

Venmo: @AnnahSearle

Zelle: my email or phone number

As always, cash or check are accepted as well.

Yes! We have one recital at the end of each year. You can also choose to participate in exams through ABRSM for more opportunities.

While I use method books to structure the majority of my teaching, I also include a broad exposure to music through theory, composition, ear training, improvisation, and technique. I also encourage my students to attend live concerts and listen to a variety of musical genres.